This invention is directed to the providing of a suitable splash guard structure which is designed to be utilized in combination with current automotive vehicles having contemporary body styling. It is of the type designed for attachment to a portion of the body fender or fender wall associated with a wheel well, and is designed to prevent the splashing of water and rocks against the automotive vehicle body surface.
Several other types of splash guards are known for use in conjunction with automotive vehicles, however, their configuration is not based upon contemporary automotive styling standards and the scope of their utilization is limited. Most of these similar known structures are of two types. One type of splash guard is secured to the metal automotive body by means of self-tapping screws. This procedure is less than satisfactory in that the drilling operations are cumbersome and generally require the removal of the wheel. Also, by drilling holes into the sheet metal of the vehicle body in an area exposed to water, road salt, and rocks, this procedure tends to promote possible rust and corrosion of the underbody.
The second type of splash guard is supported in vertically depending relationship to a fender having an enlarged bead or marginal edge and is adapted to be secured thereto by spring clips or clamps. Two examples of this latter type are disclosed in the U.S. patents issued to McCollum, U.S. Pat. No. 1,934,135 and Littlefield, U.S. Pat. No. 1,993,067. In both patents the splash guard hangs from the lower rear edge of the fender. McCollum utilizes a U-shaped clamp which embraces a bead at the lower end of the fender. The splash guard apron in McCollum is formed with two openings through which the clamp is inserted for attachment to the fender.
McCollum's guard is of a construction that requires that a bead exist at the edge of the fender. Furthermore, it is limited in attachment to only being secured along that bottom edge of the fender. Also, the position of the guard is not adjustable to most effectively fit and therefore protect the many styles of automotive vehicles, particularly those that are presently on the market. There are no alternative openings provided to obtain maximum protection for the vehicle body by allowing attachment to conform to the particular style of vehicle. Most current vehicle styles have a generally inturned configuration in the vicinity of the wheel well, such that a greater portion of the body surface adjacent to the wheel well is able to be damaged by the throwing of water and rocks by the wheels. Similarly, Littlefield's guard employs a two piece spring clamp which embraces a bead at the lower end of the fender. Littlefield provides for more than two attaching devices to allow some adjustability; but, still his device requires that a bead exist at the bottom edge of the fender, and it is limited to attachment only along that edge. While the guard is adjustable along the edge of the fender, it is not adjustable vertically to provide maximum protection.